Lurking Darkness, Hidden Keepsakes
by Zazabi
Summary: It's the middle of the night in the mansion of Smash, and a thunderstorm is raging. The story begins with Kirby as he makes his way to the safety of his room with an... 'Arm' load of food, but something goes awry... rating is subject to change.
1. Chapter One: A Light Snack

This is my first ever fan fiction. To be honest, I have no solid idea as to a plot line as of yet. I just started writing. But for now, everything is being played by ear. And I can't guarantee regular updates, but I will try when I have the time (and an idea). However, I hope you all enjoy reading this as much as I've enjoyed writing it.

Disclaimer: All characters are owned by their respected... Well, owners.  
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Chapter One: A Light Snack 

The resounding boom shook the very foundations of the mansion, and rattled the windows in their panes. White light flooded in from the widows, behind the thick drawn curtains, briefly illuminating the Northern Hall. Long shadows were cast where the light did not reach from the wall scones, overhead hanging lights, and under the windows and curtains. The round, eight inched, pink puffball with large red feet, and bright, scared blue eyes stumbled, and gasped in surprise. Kirby's prominent foot had caught in the thick carpet along the hall floor from the sudden noise and light. He gasped again as the weight of his load shifted, and he quickly moved to re-balance it. His load consisted of a whole cheesecake, a plate of brownies, three cheeseburgers, several cups of chocolate pudding, a leg of honey glazed ham, three pinto boxes, a large slice of cheddar cheese, several chicken legs... And on top of all that was a large tub of vanilla chocolate swirl ice cream, a box of chocolate, a strawberry milkshake, a bowl of chicken flavored ramen, and an apple... The food rose above the slightly ovular Kirby into a tower; tilting and swaying with the ever present danger of falling. A light midnight snack for the Star Warrior. He was trying to cut back due to complaints from the others. Once the load was stable, the pink puff ball looked high to his towering load before letting out a sigh of relief, closing his eyes. After having shortly reopened his eyes to see, then did he begin to make his way carefully back to his room.

The rain hammered down on the window panes, and the only true source of light was the occasional flash of lighting. Kirby could tell he was nearing his room, the latest flash from outside highlighted a large discoloration in the wall to his left, and a connecting hall to his right. The large patch job happened a few days back when a Koopa King somehow managed to annoy, and wear down an iron willed bounty huntress's patients. The result was that the poor king was blasted down the hall, crashing into, and through the wall in a shower of paint and dry wall with all the grace of two ton, runaway truck. Not being able to see ahead of himself do to his mountain of food, he had to relay such 'markers' and instinct to find his room of residence. He was also keeping his mind preoccupied with enjoying the food he was soon going to divulge in... Yup, nice, yummy food in his nice, safe, well lit room. Nope, not in a large, open dark hallway in the middle of the night with a thunderstorm pounding the mansion outside... No long spooky shadows moving about the walls and floor with every crack, and flash of light... It was a few moments before he noticed his pace had quickened, and slowed down to a stop, his tower of condiments swaying slightly from the action. Blue eyes looked nervously from side to side, he swallowed and began his slow pace forward again.

After a time, he made it to the end of the hall, where it turned to the right. The turn in the hall was exceptionally dark due to the lack of windows, fading until it was pitch black at the end of said hall. The first few feet, led to the first door to the Northern Rooms. Kirby only took a glance at the dark hall, gulped, and slowly turned to head up it... And so that the food was before him, and blocking the darkness of the hall's length... Having much preferred to look at his food instead. We walked slowly forward, passing the first door with low door knob, as well as one at a regular hight. The door was also marked with what looked to be an eggplant with eyes, or maybe it was a chilly pepper. (Whatever it was, it was food. Maybe he should have grabbed that purple thing in the fridge's crisper...) There was also a distinct chill emanating from the door as well. The occupant sister and brother, Nana and Popo must have the air conditioner on high tonight.

Passing the Ice Climber's room, he turned his sight back to an opposite door, with no mark. One of the yet-to-arrive Newcomer's room. He had only a few doors left to pass until his room, and smiled in anticipation, increasing his pace. Eagerness to be in comfortable confines slowly getting the better of his concern for dropping his load. He passed two more doors, One marked with a circular emblem, with a bolt of perpendicular lightning resting across it. The other door was marked with a 'M', and a sword facing hilt down through the center of it. Samus's, and Meta Knight's room. His smile grew, as his attention shifted between the two doors. He knew the next few feet would bring him to a door with a star emblem, his room. He emitted a happy sound, though it was quiet, afraid to stir the occupants of the other rooms. He trotted happily, and carefully the last few feet to his door next to Meta's. This door, like Nana and Popo's, had a low door knob as well. Setting his wobbly tower down with care on the thick carpet. Momentarily free of his burden, the round puff reached out and grabbed the handle with a short, round limb, turning and opening the door before pushing it in. As soon as it opened a crack, bright light shone through the opening, and grew more tolerable as the door fully opened, revealing the Warrior's room. Stars hung, suspended from the ceiling, of the circular room, emitting the soft, yet bright glow against an inky black ceiling with swirls of color to form galaxies, and nebula's. The lush green carpet, imitating grass spread the length of the room, and under the star shaped bed at the opposite end of the door. Trees grew up along the walls, with short, flat branches to serve as shelves and holding places for possessions... Or a place to sit possibly.

Happy with himself for leaving the lights on, Kirby turned back to his food tower; However, the sight he met shocked him back, and being top heavy and round, rolled back with a small cry, eyes wide, and feet raised to he air. It wasn't what he had seen, but did not see. Quickly rolling back, and hopping up, he rubbed his eyes. The food was gone! Only the indention from where it had sat was left. He looked around quickly, frowning. Nothing up the hall but darkness, nothing behind him but the short length of hall before the turn... He looked back into his room, nothing had changed in it since opening the door... Looking back to where the food had gone, he slowly reached a pudgy arm out to the spot the food had been. He felt nothing but air, so it wasn't invisible. Where did the food go? Worry now dominated his round features. He was sure he didn't eat it... He would remembered that... Maybe somebody took it? Putting a small limbed arm to his mouth, and pondering the possibilities, he turned around and was met with a physical presence, and two glowing yellow eyes.


	2. Chapter Two: A Dark and Stormy Knight

Long wait? If so, and for those who are/maybe watching this, I'm sorry for the delay. As I mentioned at the beginning of the first chap, these might not be frequent. And I still don't know what I'm doing. However, I think this next chapter is starting to shape it up a bit.

I own nothing except for maybe this hazy story line.

1111

Chapter Two: A Dark and Stormy Knight

Lighting crashed down from the stormy heavens, it's light, once again illuminating the dark halls of the Smash Mansion, namely the Northern hall. The light reflected against the back wall that turned into the Northern residential rooms.  
This light also illuminated from behind the dark figure before the pink Star Warrior Kirby, overemphasizing it's form.

"Whaaa!!"

Kirby fell back with a mixed cry of shock and surprise... And eyes as large as tea cup saucers. This time rolling completely backwards. This was not his night. He came to a stop on his backside because of his large red feet weighed him down. He stared, transfixed at the figure, mind blurred as to what he should do next, his small body vibrated with rushing adrenaline. Fight or flight.

"Kirby, what are you surprised of...?"

Inquired a dark voice from the figure. The tone held no discernible emotion, unless you count the underlining hint of controlled frustration.

"Poyo...?"

The addressed pink one answered in a childlike tone of puzzlement and hesitation. His response to run away, or swallow the person whole was gone as soon as it came. The next instant he hopped forward to his feet recognizing the voice. "Po." Kirby blinked once, and eyes set as the happy go lucky shade of blue they should be.

Then he blinked twice, "Ahh!! Poyo! Po, yo!"

He bounced happily, smiling wide, completely oblivious to the hint of anger within the individual, and no longer cautious of the surrounding dark of the hall. Then again, he was in the light that flooded out from his room.

The light from there also reflected off the polished metal mask of the individual, reflecting Kirby's happy form. Two vertical, ovular yellow eyes glowed from with the dark opening of the visor sight. Most of his figure below the mask was hidden around the dark folds of a cape, a deep purple that seemed to absorb light itself.

"Kirby."

He addressed again, this time more pressing.

"I May already know what you were doing out here.. But _why_ are you still out here..?"

He was tired... And having been woken up in what looked to be the middle of the night was not very agreeable to him. But if there was something up, then he would see to it that it was stopped. People, and himself were trying to sleep after all.

With unintentional emphasis, the figure threw back his cape , revealing himself to be non other than Meta Knight, Kirby's rival, ally... And current neighbor.

"Po...Po! POYO!"

Kirby's happy features froze, as did he mid hop, and rolled over onto his side.. Then taken over by a worried expression; the predicament of had happened having been remembered. He hopped back up, and stood up on the tips of his... Toes, and wove his stumpy arms above his head in desperation.

"Poyo, poyo!"

He then hopped over to the side for Meta to see, and pointed out the empty space that was earlier occupied by the large expanse of now missing food products.

"Po, po! Poooyo!'

"Hm?"

Obviously, Meta Knight did not really understand any of the 'poyoing' that came out of Kirby's mouth. But having known the pink puff for as long as he had, and understanding of his general gestures, he summed up the situation quickly. After all, there wasn't much that really got the Star Warrior excited and or upset.

"You had food, and now it's gone. Correct?"

"Poyo!" came the near ecstatic replay.

"I see...:"

He turned his luminous golden... Ovals towards the indicated space, then on the pink puff again, and rubbed a white gloved limb to the lower portion of his mask. The motion was not really necessary, but such emphasis might benefit Kirby to show he was actually thinking about it... And he just felt like doing it

"Mm.. did you eat it?" The obvious question. This _was_ Kirby after all.

"Poy-no." Kirby shook himself in the sign for no. Not being able to shake his head, since he was nothing but.

"Sleep walking then?"

"Po.."

He paused, turning the word in his head. Sleepwalking?

"Poyo..?" Confusion was now Kirby. How could one walk and sleep at the same time?

Meta Knight sighed, then proceeded to explain.

"Sleepwalking is just as it sounds... Asleep while walking. Maybe you were dreaming about getting food, but awoke in the hall to find there was none.. Or ate it on the way."

Hm. Sleep walkers generally don't remember their dreams in the process of sleepwalking after they awoke as far as he knew... So that could probably be ruled out.  
At this point, Meta Knight had no more concern with sleep. The next probability was something he wouldn't stand for. Even if it was trifling. But if it was, and went unchecked.. It could happen again.. Becoming a habit.. Then he would probably have the pleasure of these early wakeup calls to deal with. Several times.

"Alright.. then it was probably taken?"

At that statement, a few possibilities came to mind. That tyrannical King DeDeDe was known for trying to torment Kirby, and stealing food for himself... But he was in the eastern hall. Then there was Yoshi with near rivalry of Kirby's black hole of a stomach.. But the dinosaur was in the southern halls. The kitchens were in the center of the mansion. So why would either go to the trouble of coming up this way? Then there are the other resident fighters he had little understanding of. Maybe one of them, or other of the more 'villainous' Smashers could have done it.

"Po...?"

Kirby watched as Meta became slightly lost in his thoughts. His yellow orbs having became a shimmering green in color. A tale, tale sign.

"Well Kirby, you seem to have a bit of a mystery on your hands."

He replied, snapping back to the situation at hand, and making Kirby jump.

"You have a few options.."

Green eyes melded into gold.

"Sleepwalking, or it was indeed stolen... However."

Kirby blinked. 'However' never really meant anything good for him, especially in the way of acquiring assistance.

"I'll leave this to you. You might learn something useful out of it."

There, done, simple. Kirby would have a little adventure, get tired, go back to bed. He might even find out if his food was stolen, possibly find the perpetrator, and deliver justice. And, best of all, he was now free to turn in. Meta Knight having given his two cents, nodded himself in both conclusion to this plan, and in goodnight. He turned on his heel, and turned back into his room, shutting the door soon after.  
Kirby stood where he was. He held the same expression as when Meta began to speak after listing off his assumptions.. A blank, yet strangely cute stare. And that expression melded into a frown with realization of having been blown off with help and company.. Again. However, he did take into consideration the options provided by Meta.  
He was _positive_ there was food.. And he was _positive_ he hadn't eaten it.. So maybe somebody did ta-

"What?!"

Kirby snapped out of his thoughts and quickly turned himself to face Meta Knight's closed door. There were sounds of what seemed to him hurried rummaging, some form of furniture being overturned, then swift, low heavy 'thuds' that quickly grew in volume.  
The next instant, the door burst open, flying back on it's hinges and striking against the wall behind with a resounding '_CRACK_'. The dark purple, and blue blur that was Meta Knight came flying out. Literally. Cape flapping wildly, yet silently, and large purple dark bat like wings pumping, He pulled a sharp turn and with a few mighty pumps of his wings, shot up the hall to the turn. There he stopped, hovering, looking up the hall before turning and flying back towards Kirby.

What Kirby saw scared him more than when he first turned on the Knight a few minutes before. Meta Knight's eyes were now a shade of enraged crimson. He landed next to the pink warrior, glaring up the hall with seething anger. It was as though he was trying to will the shadows away, or burn them away with the intensity of his glare. Then he turned his frightening sights on Kirby.

"Have you seen anybody go into my room?" His tone was controlled, but short and harsh... It wasn't a question. It was a demand.

"P-o..po..." Kirby stuttered, shaking himself in no again. Meta Knight's rage flared, and his wings twitched. "Kirby.. This is more serious.." He said after a few moments, putting his anger in check, but still leaving an uncomfortably tense air about the two. Red eye flicked back to yellow, but with noticeable strain. He continued on with a grave tone.

"Whomever stole your food.. Might have also stolen my sword..."

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My, my. It seems things have taken a slight turn for the worst. Meta Knight's trusty, and equally mysterious sword, Galaxia has been stolen along with Kirby's snack. Whats going to happen next? And how will the sword wielding Smasher make do without his primary offense?


End file.
